


Hearts of the Same Beat

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arc Reactor, Avengers Family, Domestic Avengers, Everyone Needs A Hug, Everyone gets a hug (at some point), Explosions, Gen, Hugs, Hurt Peter Parker, Parent Tony Stark, Penny Parker has a Twin, Peter Parker Has a Twin, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Siblings, Protective Tony Stark, Siblings, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21552310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: After a devastating attack on the Stark Tower, Peter is left with an arc reactor embedded in his chest.Penny is left to pick up the pieces.
Relationships: Penny Parker & Peter Parker, Penny Parker & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Avengers Team, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 26
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of my twin au that began on my tumblr (go check it out!)
> 
> I'm only projecting onto penny a LITTLE bit (read a lot)

Whenever someone asks Penny is she likes having a twin, she always shrugs in response. Because the truth is she doesn’t really know what it’s like not to be a twin. She’s never experienced life without having someone with her at every step. And as far as twins go, Peter isn’t really that bad. Sure they fight, but at the end of the day, they share a bedroom so most arguments are resolved before bed. 

But even though they’re twins, Penny and Peter couldn’t be more different. I mean Peter is a teenage superhero who dresses in spandex and saves lives. Penny is...not. Peter is a genius who could already be in college right now if he didn’t want to abandon Penny. Penny is no idiot, but she knows she’s not as smart as her brother. Peter is funny and makes friends easily. Penny does not. 

But don’t get her wrong, Penny loves her brother more than anything. It would just be a bit easier if Peter wasn’t _so_ much better than her. But Penny doesn’t want to imagine her life without him. She’s come far too close to losing him time and time again for her liking and she doesn’t ever want to know what it feels like for him really to be gone. She would do anything for Peter, just like Peter would do anything for her. It’s nice to have someone in her corner, who takes her side on nearly everything. 

Penny shakes the thoughts out of her head, her eyes are already getting misty. She tugs her coat on and slings her backpack over her shoulders. “Peter!” She calls back into the small apartment. May’s already left for work so it falls on her to make sure the two of them get to school on time. Peter’s too scatterbrained to remember. “You got two minutes or I’m leaving without you!”

“I’m coming!” Peter’s voice comes from somewhere in the apartment. “I’ll be there in like two seconds!”

“That was forty seconds,” Penny says with her hands on her hips as Peter skids around the corner. 

Peter rolls his eyes, “Okay...”

Penny opens the door and playfully shoves Peter out, “C’mon. We’re going to be late.”

The twins walk side by side through the busy streets of Queens. One of the best things about having a superhero for a brother in Penny’s opinion is that if anything happens to them Peter will protect them, it explains why she walks just a step or two closer to Peter when they pass a group of burly looking men. She doesn’t like the way they look at her and judging from how Peter glares at them, he doesn’t either. He’s always been too protective of him. But whenever Penny tried to tell him off, all he said was that he’s her older brother and that he’s supposed to take care of her. Penny always rolled her eyes, “You’re older by eleven minutes!”

“Still older,” Peter smirked. 

Finally, the two of them arrive at the steps of Midtown. They jog up the stairs together and walk swiftly to their lockers. Since they were assigned in alphabetical order, their lockers are side by side. After gathering appropriate supplies, Penny and Peter close their lockers and turn to face each other. This is where they part, Peter to go to AP Physics and Penny to go to World History. 

“Lab after school today?” Penny asks. 

Peter nods, “Yeah. Tony will be here at the end of the day.”

“Okay, I’ll see you at lunch?” Peter nods and heads on his way. 

At the end of the school day, Penny ducks her head and gets out of school as fast as possible. As promised, Tony’s car is waiting outside for them. Penny pops open the door and slides onto the leather seat, grinning at Tony when he turns around to look at her. 

“Hi, Tony,” she says, stuffing her backpack down by her feet. 

“Good day?” He asks. 

Penny shrugs, “It was okay, I had a test in English and I think it went well.” 

Tony gives her a genuine smile, “That’s great, kid.” The car door flies open again and Peter flings himself down in the seat. “Hey, Pete. Ready to go?” Peter nods and buckles his seatbelt.

As Tony drives, Peter leans over to Penny, “You okay?”

Penny nods, “I’m fine, just...thinking.”

“You sure?” Penny nods. “You look weird.”

Penny snorts, “Gee thanks.” But Peter leaves her alone.

“What are you two thinking for dinner?” Tony asks, pretending he didn’t hear the twins’ conversation. Penny and Peter exchange a glance before they both shrug. Tony chuckles, “Thanks, guys, that’s really helpful.”

“I can make dinner,” Penny offers. 

“You don’t have to do that, Pen,” Tony shakes his head. 

“I want to,” Penny insists. “As long as you have the stuff I’d love to cook. I don’t have much homework.”

Penny immediately regrets that. Both Tony and Peter look bashful. She knows that they feel bad that she doesn’t join them in the lab and that they don’t really include her in much. Penny does her best to pretend she doesn’t mind. 

“If you’re sure...” Tony trails off. 

“I am.”

Penny falls silent as Tony and Peter begin talking about their plans for the evening. Even though she can’t contribute much to the conversation, Peter and Tony still try to draw her into the conversation. She says what little she can to the topics, but she still appreciates the effort nonetheless.

“We’re here,” Tony says a few minutes later. 

“Thanks, Tony!” Peter says with a smile. The twins slide out of the car and walk over to the elevator. While Peter and Tony head down to the lab, Penny takes the elevator up to the living room. Unlike her brother, she isn’t as mechanically talented. Penny much prefers history and English to science. Does that make her feel left out? Yeah, all the time. Tony does his best to include her, but she just can’t keep up with them. Sometimes she wonders if Tony invites her over simply because he doesn’t want her to feel left out. But then she remembers that she trains with Natasha in self-defense or she talks to Bucky or Steve about their experiences before the ice. 

Penny dumps her backpack on the floor beside the couch and pulls her laptop out of her bag. She manages to work for about an hour before getting bored. Checking her watch, she finds that Tony and Peter are still going to be downstairs for another hour or so. “FRIDAY?” Penny asks. “Is anyone else here today?”

“No, Miss Parker, the rest of the Avengers are staying at the compound for the weekend and they will all be back on Monday.” 

Penny groans, so there’s no one to talk to, no one to train with, and nothing to do. Sighing, Penny forces herself to her feet and walks into the kitchen. With nothing else to do she might as well start cooking.

She’s cooked here before so she knows where to find all of the recipe books. One of her favorite ones to cook out of isn’t even a real recipe book. It’s Maria Stark’s handwritten Italian recipes. She loves cooking them and she knows Tony loves eating them so she selects one of her favorites and gets cooking. When Peter and Tony finally come up from the lab, Penny is halfway through making spaghetti. Tony wraps her in a side hug and kisses the top of her head, “You’re the best, Pen.” 

Penny leans into the hug with a smile, “I know.” Tony gently nudges Penny out of the way so he can finish cooking and let Penny have a break.

“What did you work on?” Penny asks as she slides onto the couch beside Peter. 

“Tony’s helping me start coding my own AI!” Peter says enthusiastically. “Obviously it’s not going to be as advanced as FRIDAY or Karen, but it’s still an AI.”

Penny grins, “That’s awesome! What are you going to call it?”

Peter bumps her shoulder, “I was hoping you would come up with a name.”

“Really?” Peter nods. “How about Jill or Timothy or Mildred!?”

“I am opposed to calling an AI Mildred!” Tony calls from the kitchen. 

“Not talking to you, old man!” Penny shouts over her shoulder. Tony laughs. 

“You let me name mine Karen!” 

“I don’t think let is the right word there, kiddo!” The twins share smiles before laughing just loudly enough that Tony can hear them from the kitchen. 

“Dinner!” Tony calls to them a few minutes later. Peter and Penny leap off the couch, racing to the table. On normal days the other avengers join them for a large family dinner, but tonight it’s just the three of them. And Penny finds she doesn’t mind it. It’s quieter, but the conversation seems more meaningful to her.

“This is delicious, sweetheart,” Tony praises as he digs into his food. 

Penny smiles, “Thanks, I used one of your mom’s recipes.”

“And it tastes just like her’s.” Penny grins. 

She is just about to say something when Peter’s head snaps up. Penny and Tony stare at him, waiting for something more, it must be his spider-sense. He makes panicked eye contact with her before tackling Penny to the ground. She gasps and the impact of Peter slamming her to the floor hurts every bone in her body. 

“Peter...” Penny’s voice comes out barely as a breath. 

Then, before Peter can respond, the entire building is rocked with a booming explosion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more projecting...

Penny blinks slowly, dust and debris fall into her eyes. A heavy weight is pressed against her entire body. She can’t see anything. Every part of her is being pressed down and everything is more painful than anything she’s ever experienced. A soft whimper escapes her lips. 

“H-help,” Penny breathes, her voice so quiet she is sure no one can hear her. Sirens sound from somewhere near her and she can hear shouts and screams. _What’s going on?_ Penny tries to move, but nothing will let her. She coughs the dust from her lungs and tries to see what’s going on. Everything around her is dark. She can’t see. Distantly Penny realizes that she’s in shock. If she was more lucid then she probably would be freaking out right now. She’s dying, Penny decides. She must be.

But then a glimmer of light illuminates something. Or rather someone. Peter’s head is on top of her chest, blood dribbles out from between his lips and blood stains his pale cheeks. Penny watches him, wanting to cry out for help, but knowing that her voice won’t project loud enough. She can feel his blood on her skin now. The longer she focuses on the feeling the more aware of her surroundings she becomes. She can’t move. Peter is dying on top of her, pinned down by rubble from the building. Everything is painful. But then Penny feels the slight warmth of Peter’s stuttering breath on her arm and she’s able to take a breath. He’s alive. For now. 

“Help!” Penny tries again. Her voice is louder this time, still scratchy and she’s not able to get enough air, but it’s louder. “Help!” 

Thankfully someone hears her because someone shouts, “I found someone! I need medical here now!” The rubble on top of her starts to shift and the light becomes more present. A flashlight shines in her eyes and someone shouts some more. She must blackout for a few seconds because the next thing she knows is that she is being lifted into someone’s arms. She can no longer see Peter. Flashing police lights illuminate the scene, contrasting the dark night sky, countless fire trucks and ambulances are parked with their sirens and lights blaring, and people are everywhere. They run around in emergency responder uniforms, in front of news cameras, and they are stuck behind police tape watching the scene. 

Penny is placed gently onto a pristine white stretcher and an oxygen mask is pressed over her nose and mouth. She fights to keep her eyes open and to focus and the people shouting around her, but it’s not working. Just as the ambulance doors slam closed, she is out.

Penny wakes up to light surrounding her in a fluorescent halo. She tries to blink past it, but it’s so bright she has to squint. Is she dead? Maybe. But the more Penny focuses, the more she can hear the ever-persistent beep of a heart monitor and the whirring of the air mask strapped to her face. She’s in the hospital, Penny realizes slowly. _Why?_ Oh. 

_Peter’s terrified face as he tackled her to the floor._

_The explosion._

_The blaring sound of police cars and ambulances and fire trucks._

_Peter’s breath on her skin._

_The rubble shifting on top of her as the firemen lifted her out._

Peter. 

_Where is he? Is he okay? What’s going on? Is he dead? Oh my god, he can’t be dead. Please, God, don’t let him die. I need him. I need him. I need him._

Before she knows it Penny is panicking. Her chest is rising and falling too quickly and she can’t slow it down. The heart monitor only makes it worse as the beeping goes haywire. She can’t breathe. She can’t breathe. She can’t bre-

The door swings open and in runs a doctor Penny doesn’t recognize. And through her panic she realizes something. She’s alone. No one was waiting for her in the room. Every time Peter has been injured, her, Tony, and May have always been right by his side until he wakes up. But she’s alone. Alone. Alone. 

“Miss, if you don’t breathe I’m going to need to sedate you,” the nurse says calmly. “Take slow deep breaths.” 

But Penny can’t. She needs Peter. Or May. Or Tony. Or Natasha. Or anyone other than this strange nurse. She gasps and gasps for air, but her lungs won’t expand. Nothing’s working. If anyone was here they would be able to calm her down. But no one’s here. She’s alone. The nurse leaves her side and injects something into her IV bag. 

“It’s going to be alright, miss,” the nurse says calmly. She smiles gently at Penny. Penny starts feeling sleepy almost instantly. It’s only a few seconds more before her head becomes heavy and her eyes drift closed. 

The second time Penny wakes up, someone is holding her hand, rubbing their thumb over her knuckles. She distinctly hears two people talking and as much as she wants to join the conversation, she doesn’t have the strength to open her eyes. 

“May, you need sleep.” It’s Steve. Why is Steve here? 

“I can’t leave her. What if she wakes up again and I’m not here?” She hears a sniff, almost like crying. “I won’t let her be alone again.”

“She won’t be alone. I’ll stay with her while you get some rest.”

“But Peter-”

“Is still in surgery. We won’t know anything for another hour or so.” Steve’s voice is calming to Penny. The first time she met him, she’d been incredibly intimidated. He towered over her and he was a literal superhero. But after Penny fell asleep against Steve’s shoulder, he hadn’t moved for several hours, allowing her to get some much-needed rest. After that Penny discovered he was just a big teddy bear.

“If something goes wrong-” Penny knows May is wringing her hands and she tries to ignore how quickly May gave up her protests of stay at Penny’s side. But even if she were awake, Penny would never ask May to stay, she would be disappointed that she left, but she would rather suffer in silence than inconvenience May in any way.

“You’ll be the first person we call. Okay?” There’s a pause. “Get some rest, May.”

Penny hears the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. Then someone touches her hair and a kiss falls on her temple, “I’ll be back soon, baby.” The door opens and closes. 

“I don’t know if you can hear me, Penny, but I really hope you can,” Steve sighs. “Things aren’t looking so good right now, we don’t know what’s going to happen. But...whatever happens, you’re always going to have your aunt and me and the rest of the Avengers. None of us will let you be alone.”

With those words, Penny allows herself to sink into unconsciousness. When she comes to again, the first thing she feels is warm. Someone is holding her hand again, but no one is talking this time. She takes a few deep breaths before she overcomes her sleepiness enough to open her eyes. 

She’s not alone. May is sitting in the chair beside her bed, holding her hand. May smiles softly at her, eyes watery.

“May?” Penny asks, her voice slow. 

“Hi, honey,” May smiles at her and squeezes her hand. 

“What’s going on?” She groggily lifts her head and slowly sits up. Her head feels leaden, but she forces herself to sit up. As she looks around the hospital room, she finds the room empty except for her, May, and all the medical supplies. Then she looks herself over, she finds her midsection wrapped in white bandages, but other than a cast on her left ankle, she is unharmed. How? A building had literally fallen on top of her. 

“We’re at the upstate Avengers Compound,” May explains gently. “Do you remember what happened?”

“There was an explosion,” Penny supplies. “The building...”

May nods and squeezes her hand, “Someone wanted to destroy Stark Industries so they planted a bomb in the elevator. It exploded and most of the building collapsed.”

Penny gasps, “Is everyone okay?”

“There were only fifteen people found dead,” May says, she seems calmer than Penny knows she is. Fifteen...sure maybe it wasn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things...but fifteen...did that include...?

“Peter and Tony?”

“Are both okay.” Penny sags in relief. “Peter got out of surgery yesterday and Tony the day before. But, Pen, Peter...he saved your life. The doctors said that if he hadn’t protected you, you would be dead.”

“Oh my god.” That’s all Penny can say. She had expected it, but somehow hearing it out loud made it so much more insane.

May squeezes her hand, “But it cost him a lot.” Penny freezes, May had just said he’s alive so what could it be- “Peter has an arc reactor in his chest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment if you enjoyed this because i love hearing from y'all and every comment means a lot to me. 
> 
> <3
> 
> Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead! Sorry for the long break. I was in tech for a show and then I was hit with an epic case of writer's block. Anyways, here we go!

“What happened?”

May takes a slow breath, “He tried to get his Spiderman suit on, but before it was fully formed the...the building collapsed.” Penny nods, too numb to react. May squeezes her hand, “If you want, you can see him once the doctors clear you from bed rest.” Penny nods again. “Tony is due to wake up anytime now so you can see him as well.”

And though Penny usually detests being alone, especially in hospitals, she tells May, “Can you give me some space?” Because right now all she wants is room to think. 

May hides her shock at the words and simply nods, “I’ll go get you some food, yeah?”

“Thanks, May,” Penny says softly. May drops a kiss to the top of her head before leaving. 

Once she’s alone, Penny sighs. This quiet is peaceful, not like it normally is. Normally to her being alone is suffocating, a reminder that no one cares about her, that they'd rather be doing anything else than spending time with her. But being alone isn't bad right now. It's just what she needs. Perhaps it’s because she knows that everything is okay. Because Peter and Tony are safe. She's safe. None of them are dead. But the more she thinks about it, nothing is okay. The gravity of what happened just hasn’t sunk in yet. 

But Penny doesn’t want it to yet. 

She just wants to enjoy these few moments of calm before everything comes crashing down on her. 

She finds her phone on the table beside her bed but she flips it over once she sees all of the notifications. Numerous calls and texts from her friends and a few acquaintances, all wondering if she’s okay. She's sure Peter has tons more too. Penny sighs, she shoots off a quick text to her group chat with Ned and MJ, letting them know that they’re all okay and that she’ll talk to them later. She doesn't really want to talk about it right now.

As she puts her phone back on the table, she finds something else and can’t help the smile that spreads across her face. On the table is the book she had been reading with a yellow sticky note on it.

_Thought you might want this -Steve_

She thought May would have remembered before Steve, but she shakes off those thoughts. Someone cares about her, someone knew exactly what she would need. Taking her bookmark out of the pages, Penny sinks back into the bed with her book resting on her legs. She manages to read thirty or so pages before a soft knock comes on the door. 

“Come in!” She calls, setting her book to the side. The door swings open and in walks May and Bruce, May carrying a bag of take-out. 

“How are you feeling?” Bruce asks as May begins to unpack the food. 

“I’m okay,” Penny says softly. “Nothing has really hit me yet.”

Bruce smiles at her, “That’s normal, you’re still in shock. It might feel like that for a while longer still, but it will go away eventually.” As Bruce begins to check her over, May builds them plates of food. Judging by the smells, May picked Chinese food. 

It takes Bruce a few minutes to complete the exam. He tells them that she’s doing well and all she needs is more bed rest and she should be off her feet in a few days. Penny smiles at that. Bruce politely declines May’s invitation to join them for food and leaves to continue about his check-ups on the others. 

May sinks down onto the bed, facing Penny, and hands her the plate she made her. Penny gives her a warm smile, “Thank you.”

“Of course, sweetie.”

The two eat in silence for a few minutes, Penny grateful to have food despite not knowing how hungry she was. Thoughts of Peter begin to hover in the back of her mind and Penny can feel her momentary peace beginning to lift. She shakes her head, willing those thoughts away. Having a breakdown won’t help anything. In fact, it will probably make everything worse and then everyone would be worried about her-

“You okay, Pen?” May’s worried gaze is fixed on Penny. Penny nods once and shovels a spoonful of rice into her mouth. “What do you think of this?” May gestures to the food. “As good as the place by our apartment?”

Penny shakes her head, “Of course not! But it’s not awful.”

“I agree.”

When they’re almost done eating, the door is pushed open and Steve walks in, “Can I steal some food?”

Penny nods, “May ordered too much.”

So Steve pulls up a chair and joins the two for an early dinner. Penny can tell that both adults keep a watchful eye on her, looking for any signs of distress or pain. Penny does her best to keep her face even, but the pain in her stomach grows bit by bit and she can tell that the shock is starting to wear off. Her thoughts are starting to turn from the soft moment in the hospital room to her brother throwing himself on top of her as the world exploded around him. Then his fragile breath against her with the building pressing on them. He saved her life and he nearly died. He has a hunk of metal in his chest-

“Penny?” May squeezes her niece’s hands. 

Penny looks between Steve and May, both wearing the same concerned expression. She hates it, but she knows it’s warranted. 

“I think the shock is wearing off,” Penny says, much more jittery than just a few seconds ago. “Can I sleep?”

May nods gently and takes Penny’s plate, “Do you want me to stay?”

Penny shakes her head, “You should get some sleep too.” She wants to ask Steve to stay with her, but she knows he won’t. He probably has dozens of better things to do than sit next to an asleep girl in a hospital room. 

“I’ll stay with her, May,” Steve says, as if he could read Penny’s mind. May thanks Steve, drops another kiss to Penny’s head, and helps elevate her ankle before leaving. 

“Goodnight, Pen,” May closes the door. 

Penny snuggles down in her bed and closes her eyes, willing sleep to overtake her.

_Penny is standing in front of a mirror. Her long brown hair is tied in a neat braid. Penny instinctively knows that it wasn’t done by her. As she reaches up to touch it, suddenly she’s standing face to face with Peter._

_His eyes are sunken and heavy, blood trails from the corner of his mouth. His cheeks are hollow and his skin is gaunt. But Penny’s eyes are drawn to his chest. In his chest is a hunk of metal that resembles an arc reactor, but was made much more crudely. It doesn’t quite fit into his chest. Blood seeps from the edges of the reactor, coating Peter’s chest with blood. He coughs painfully, splattering Penny with blood._

_“You.” Peter says, his voice more venomous and unkind than Penny’s ever heard before. “You did this to me.” Penny opens her mouth to respond but nothing comes out but soft wheezes. “You destroyed my life,” Peter reaches up to his chest and yanks the arc reactor out of his chest._

_Penny gasps as blood pours from her brother’s chest, dying his pasty skin red. Peter shoves the reactor into her hands. He takes his hand that’s covered in blood and swipes it down Penny’s cheek. Penny flinches and shoves him back, the arc reactor falling from her fingers. But before it can hit the ground, the ceiling starts to rumble. Penny and Peter both look up at the ceiling just in time to see cracks forming before it collapses down on top of them. Penny screams as Peter dives towards her._

“Penny!” Someone lifts her head off the pillow and pulls her into an embrace. Penny falls out of the nightmare quickly, wrenching her eyes open. She finds herself pressed tightly against Steve’s chest. She can feel his breath and him telling her to copy it. “You’re safe,” Steve whispers. “You’re okay. Everyone is alright. Nothing can hurt you here.” Penny nods, forcing air into her lungs. “Just breathe, it’ll pass soon.” 

And he’s right. Only a few moments later, Penny’s breathing calms and she sags in Steve’s arms. As soon as her panic is gone, she bites back a grimace as pain floods her abdomen. She inhales sharply, squeezing her eyes shut. 

“Do you want pain meds?” Steve asks kindly. Penny nods and as he pressed the call button for the doctor, she grabs a tissue and wipes the tears from her eyes. 

Steve sinks back down on the bed beside her, “Are you alright?”

Penny bites her lip, “I’m okay.” She takes a slow breath. “Steve? Can you do something for me?”

“Anything.”

“Will you-will you take a-a picture of Peter...of how he looks?” Penny shakes her head, “Sorry, that’s weird.”

Steve squeezes her hands, “It’s not weird. I’m guessing that’s what your nightmare was about?”

Penny nods and Steve pulls her back into a quick hug, “I’ll do it. Will you be okay alone for a few minutes?”

“Yeah.”

While Steve is gone, Penny takes deep breaths. She focuses on keeping herself calm and not thinking about the nightmare she had just had or everything that’s happened to her. Like the building-

Nope. 

She’s not going there because she’s calm right now. To keep herself occupied, Penny adjusts her ankle and finds a more comfortable position. The nurse comes in to administer her pain meds which only takes a few seconds. She considers picking up her books, but she knows that her brain won’t understand any of the information. 

Thankfully Steve comes back a few minutes. He gives her the same concerned smile as always. "You ready?" He asks her, holding his phone out to her.

Penny nods and takes it, flipping it around so that she can see. The photo on Steve's phone is of Peter. He is laying on a hospital bed like hers but he looks so much worse. Dark bruises litter his exposed skin. A deep cut on his forehead is held together by butterfly bandages and his nose and mouth are covered by a breathing mask. But his chest is what catches her eyes. Coming from his chest isn't the familiar blue light of Tony's arc reactor. No. The light in Peter's chest is-

"Purple?" Penny asks. 

Steve nods, "He said it was your favorite color."

"He was awake?" Penny’s question comes out lighter than a whisper. She can't tear her eyes away from the photo and how the glow of the reactor washes Peter with a soft purple light.

"Only for a few seconds."

Penny shakes her head as her eyes well with tears, "Why did he do it?"

"Do what?" Steve asks, a worried frown slowly overtaking his face. 

"Save me." Penny's voice wavers as she tries not to cry. 

Steve is quick to pull Penny into a hug, gently stroking her hair, "He saved you because he loves you," Steve says simply. “He’s your brother, Penny.”

Penny shakes her head against Steve’s chest, “Why did he decide my life was more valuable than his?”

Steve sighs, “He made a hard choice, Pen. He knew that you’re more fragile than him and that you would have died if he didn’t do anything. He saved your life.”

“If-if he hadn’t, then he wouldn’t be hurt,” Penny hiccups. 

“If he hadn’t then you would be dead,” Steve counters. “We can do this all day, Penny. Or,” Steve pulls back enough to brush Penny’s hair out of her face, “you can go back to sleep until morning.”

Penny wants to fight, but the adrenaline from her nightmare is gone and she can feel her entire body growing heavy as it begs for sleep. So Penny says, “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! 
> 
> Please leave a comment if you enjoyed <3
> 
> Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys so much for reading this! Sorry it's been a bit, but in my defense, I was really busy (see my tumblr to know why) this chapter is a little rough, so I hope it doesn't sound as bad to you as it does to me. xo

After another check-up Bruce, Penny is pleased to only be sentenced to three more days of bed rest. In those three days, Penny rarely has a moment alone. May and Steve and, surprisingly, Rhodey are near-constant presences at her bedside. 

Rhodey knocked on her hospital room door one night and slowly let himself in. Penny had been expecting Steve so the second she saw Rhodey her hackles went up and her mind immediately went to the worst. The only reason Rhodey was there is to tell her that Tony was dead. Rhodey must have been able to sense her fear because he put his hands up and said, “It’s alright. It’s just me. Everything’s okay. Can I sit?” 

Penny nodded and Rhodey sat down in the chair at her side. Still apprehensive, Penny watched Rhodey carefully. “Why are you here?” Penny asked quietly, trying not to sound accusatory or mad-

“Because if Tony wakes up and finds out that I left you alone in here, I would never hear the end of it,” Rhodey smiled at her. 

Penny shook her head, “I’m not alone. I haven’t been alone in days.”

“I know,” Rhodey leaned back in the chair, “so I figured I’d sit with you for a bit and relieve you of May and Steve’s mother henning.” Penny smiled at that. “So I’m just going to sit here. Feel free to ignore me.”

“Thanks, Rhodey,” Penny answered. She thought about reading her book, but first, she needed to ask Rhodey something. “How’s Tony?”

Rhodey smiled, “He’s just fine, not awake yet, but Bruce says that he’s recovering well.” Penny nodded. She felt guilty. In all her time she spent worrying about her brother, she hadn’t asked about Tony. “You remind me of him, you know.”

Penny’s head snapped back in surprise. _She_ is like Tony? Peter was always the one to be compared to Tony. _Peter_ is the tech genius. _Peter_ is a superhero. _Peter_ is the next Tony Stark. Penny is just...Penny. 

Rhodey scoffed, “Never heard that before, huh?” Penny ducked her head, blushing, and shook her head. “Well you do,” Rhodey decided. “You have a big heart and you never stop seeing the good in people, even when they don’t deserve it. But you also have so much doubt and fear and...” Rhodey shook his head, “You just remind me of him...that’s all.”

“Thank you, Rhodey,” Penny said when she finally found the words to articulate her feelings. “You-you have no idea how much that means to me.”

“I think I do.” Rhodey patted his leg, “I’ll be quiet now, you can read or play on your phone or sleep or something.” Penny thanked him again and picked up her book, but she couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said. 

After that, Rhodey stopped by a few times a day to relieve May and Steve. They almost never talked and it was...nice. It was nice not to be pressured into talking or to be asked the same dozen questions over and over again. Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you need more medicine? She hated it. She just wanted to be alone. 

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Penny said evenly when May walked into her room for the third time that day. 

“Pen...what?” May reached out to touch Penny’s hair, but Penny dodged the touch. 

“I don’t need you hovering. I don’t need Steve hovering. I don’t need any of you!” Penny snapped. “I’m not a child!”

“Penny-”

“I want to be alone,” Penny decided. “Leave me alone.”

May sighed, “Okay, baby. I’ll be back for dinner.” 

Penny was finally alone for the first time since she woke up. And she...she...didn’t like it. As much as she felt their presence was suffocating, without anyone here her thoughts quickly became dark. She kept seeing the Peter from her nightmare and she kept hearing the horrible rush of cement and concrete smashing down on top of her. She kept looking up at the ceiling, waiting for it to cave in on her. Without anyone there to focus on, Penny felt like all of the strings keeping her up snapped, like she was constantly in free fall. 

With every moment she spent alone and awake, Penny could feel her panic growing. So she slept. She slept a lot that day. And the next day. And finally, on the third day, May is back with her and she finds herself hobbling down the hallway towards Peter’s room. It takes her a painful amount of time, but finally, May is opening Peter’s door for her.

And there is Peter.

He is asleep, his face lax and peaceful. An oxygen mask covers most of his face and the rest of his skin is pale compared to the dark red cuts that litter his arms and face. He wears a white cotton t-shirt, dyed purple from the glow in his chest. Penny’s breath hitches. She can see the outline of the arc reactor in her brother’s chest. It’s keeping him _alive_. 

“Honey?” May puts a gentle hand on Penny’s back. 

“I’m fine,” Penny forces out. With May’s help, Penny sits down in the chair at Peter’s bedside, resting her crutches against the wall. Penny takes Peter’s hand, hiding a flinch at how cold he is. But he’s alive. “Is he asleep?”

“Medically induced coma,” May corrects. “Once they’re sure his body accepts the arc reactor they’ll bring him back.” She’s talking like a doctor, Penny realizes slowly. May’s talking to her the way she talks to families at her work. She’s separating herself from the situation. Penny wishes she could do the same. 

“When will they know?” Penny fights to keep her voice even. 

“Soon. Today or tomorrow.”

Penny has nothing more to say after that. 

_Peter came home later than he should have. Penny had been getting nervous, her fingers twitched on her phone as she itched to call her brother. May was still at work and normally Penny liked being home alone, but she couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong._

_Peter came home with his eyes red and his hands shaking. Penny jumped off her bed to meet Peter halfway into the room. Seeing the question in his twin’s eyes, Peter opened his mouth and said, “U-Uncle Ben, he-he-he,” Peter choked off with a sob. Penny pulled Peter into a tight hug, feeling his heaving chest against her’s. “He’s...d-dead,” Penny could barely make out the words from how bad Peter’s voice was shaking, but the second the words hit her she was frozen._

_Penny was snapped out of her shock by Peter falling to his knees. Penny joined him on the floor of their room and they fell back into each other’s arms. Penny didn’t know how long they sat there. Long enough for Peter’s heavy sobs to slow. Long enough for Penny’s shock to finally wear off and for her to collapse against Peter. Painful sobs shuddered through her body and she clung to Peter as tight as possible._

_At some point, May walked in and sank to her knees in front of them, “It’s just the three of us now.” May wiped Penny’s tears away with the pad of her thumb. Peter extended his arm and pulled May into the hug. The last thing Penny saw before she closed her eyes was blood under Peter’s nails and she knew-_

“Penny?” A gentle hand touches her shoulder. Penny shakes her head, finding her cheeks damp with tears. She quickly swipes them away with her sleeves. Looking up, she finds May hovering over her with a concerned frown. 

“I-I’m okay.”

“Don’t say it if it’s not true,” May reminds her. In her lifetime Penny has heard these words from May over and over again, she never changes her answer. 

“I’m okay.”

May lets Penny stay at Peter’s side for three hours before kindly forcing her back to her hospital room. Penny doesn’t even try to fight it, that’s how exhausted she is. The second the lights are out in her room, Penny is fast asleep. 

She wakes up to May reading a book on the chair beside her. Penny smiles, she’s here. Penny still hasn’t apologized for what she said to May, but so far May isn’t looking for one so maybe she already forgave her? As Penny looks May over she finds that May looks clean and well-rested so she must have left sometime in the night. Whether that was voluntary or forced is unclear. 

“Morning, honey,” May smiles at her, setting her book to the side. “I have some exciting news for you.”

“What?” Penny asks groggily, sitting up. 

“Peter’s awake and he’s asking for you.”

And suddenly Penny is wide awake, “He-he is? Why didn’t you wake me up sooner! I need to see him.”

“I know,” May responds calmly. She knows Penny long enough to know just how to handle her. “But you’re still recovering, sweetie. We can go over as soon as you eat something.” Penny quickly agrees. 

So a few minutes later with a full belly, Penny and May walk back into Peter’s hospital room. Peter is sitting up in his bed, eyes sunken but happy when he sees his sister. 

“Peter,” Penny breathes. 

Peter grins, “Hey, sis.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3
> 
> As always, every comment makes my day and helps encourage me to write more and get a chapter out sooner! Feel free to message me on tumblr to talk or just to say hi!
> 
> Tumblr - @romeoandjulietyouwish

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this darlings! I hope you all enjoyed it the next part will be up in a few days. 
> 
> Every comment makes me smile and write just a little faster (:
> 
> Tumblr- @romeoandjulietyouwish


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